Lazy W Marie

Carpeing all the diems in semi-rural Oklahoma...xoxo

You are here: Home / Archives for 2014

Archives for 2014

low visibility

All week we have been wrapped in thick, wet fog. Cool, gray, drizzly, dense fog that keeps our vision close and our temperatures low. And for all the dreariness, it has been magical. Oklahoma rarely has this many consecutive foggy days. I find it perfectly enchanting.

Walking around the farm, the intense moisture slicks my eyeballs and makes my wavy hair curly. The ground is saturated. Spongy. We look for the animals around the farm but only see them as blue shadows and silhouettes emerging from the blurry distance. And barely a breeze moves the naked trees.

The Pine Forest is a still life of flat, sharp edges, a painted cardboard scene for a fairy tale puppet show. All dressed in that enchanted fog.

I can feel the clock hands slowing down under the weight of it all, and it is wonderful.

fog, lazy w, oklahoma, faith
Dulcinea in the denim blue, foggy twilight.

Of course driving in the heavy fog takes special care, too. You absolutely must go slowly, and your lights cannot be too direct, too far reaching. The fog draws us in, folds us over onto ourselves a bit, shrinks our vision. This frustrates some people, but it’s temporary.

Everything, after all, is temporary.

Mysteries that seem unfathomable are dissolved in the warm light of truth. Terrible walls crumble apart. People are reunited by Love in ways that no one might predict.

The fog eventually lifts.

So if you are feeling socked in by life, if you’re having trouble seeing very far into the future, take heart. Sometimes that’s just how it is. Take a deep breath then let it out, slowly. Be very still and quiet. Take a look around yourself, right exactly where you are. There is plenty to be done in this moment, and there is plenty to enjoy, too.

Don’t be bothered by the fog. It will eventually thin out and disappear completely. The horizon will be clear again, your vision full. Soon the sun will be dazzling bright again, maybe when you least expect it.

Until that moment, be here. Be very present and calm, very still and safe in this moment, and enjoy the world’s magical appearance. Soon the rest of it will be revealed.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow:
for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
~Matthew 6:34
XOXOXOXO

lazy w pizza crust

Raise your hand if you love pizza! Raise both hands if you love homemade pizza! Homemade pizza is one of my favorite meals to arrange here at the farm. We no longer do it every single week, but we do it plenty. I love the fact that on pizza night everyone can eat exactly what they want, it makes the house smell amazing, and the whole process slows us down a bit. Pizza day is always fun!

This beautiful woman is my friend Melissa. She is one of the most avid readers I know (three cheers for our Oklahoma book club!) and loves homemade pizza almost as much as I do. Hi Melissa!
This beautiful woman is my friend Melissa. She is one of the most avid readers I know (three cheers for our Oklahoma book club!) and loves homemade pizza almost as much as I do. Hi Melissa!

 

Toppings are simple and completely up to you. Here at the W, we always make two sauces: Heavy, salty Alfredo in one pot and slow-simmered, sweet and garlicky marinara in another. (Sometimes I mix mine into a pink sauce.) Then we offer chopped grilled chicken breast (amazing with Alfredo), some raw veggies and herbs (I vote for mushrooms, basil, and parsley whenever possible), maybe jarred olives and artichokes, and sometimes pepperoni, ground Italian sausage, etc. And of course mozzarella and parmesean cheeses.

The details totally depend on our group that night. Have you tried Edie’s son’s version with honey and garlic? Delish. Often guests are happy to bring fun toppings to share, too! This is one of the coolest pot luck strategies in my opinion: “I’ll make a ton of dough and sauce, and y’all bring toppings!” Instant party.

 

lazyw pizza dough, recipe, pizza reicpe
When our oldest daughter comes home for pizza night, she tends to fill one crust to the max and flip in over into a big, billowy calzone. It looks so good! But she’s tiny and eats like a bird. So guess who always takes leftovers with her?

If toppings are the paint, then crust is the canvas. Excellent pizza really relies on excellent crust, doesn’t it? After trying several recipes and methods over time I have finally settled on a certain combination that all of us love. It’s tender, hand-tossable, easy, and reliable. My book club girls have been requesting this recipe, and I might as well put it here on my blog in case the crispy, wrinkled recipe pages where I’ve been taking notes over the years ever finally bite the dust.

Okay. My favorite pizza crust is basically from a slightly tweaked Betty Crocker recipe.

Ingredients:

5 to 6 cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt (I admit to a psychotic addiction to sea salt)
4 1/2 teaspoons of yeast (or 2 envelopes)
6 generous Tablespoons of olive oil
2 cups very warm water (see notes below for a REALLY cool trick)
optional: garlic powder and dried Italian spices to taste

Now, Method:

  1. First bring some water to boil in your tea kettle. When it is really whistling, measure into a heatproof measuring bowl one cup of boiling water, then add to that one cup of cold tap water. The half-and-half combination will give you precisely the right temperature you need to activate and grow your yeast, without needing a thermometer or endless water corrections. It’s magic. Kitchen magic, I tell you! (In case you want to check, the yeast needs water that is 120*-130* F)
  2. Now in a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of the flour with all of your sugar, salt, and yeast. Using nothing more than a wooden spoon (I mean you could use an electric mixer, but let’s be Amish!), stir in the olive oil and magical warm water. Be sure to scrape down and incorporate all the dry stuff. At this stage, if you want fancy dough, add garlic powder and Italian spices too. It’s truly wonderful with or without.
  3. Now add enough of the remaining flour to your dough to make it nice and soft (I err on the side of less, since you’ll generously dust your working surface later). Betty Crocker says the dough should begin to leave the sides of your bowl.
  4. Dust your working surface with more flour and knead the whole fragrant, malleable heap of goodness with your bare hands. Knead it for several minutes, until it’s “smooth and springy” Ms. Crocker advises. The transformation is just beautiful. It feels sexy in your hands. But, in an Amish way. Totally wholesome.
  5. Now leave the giant ball of heavy, yeasty, silky dough in the same large bowl and cover lightly. You can use plastic wrap or maybe a clean, damp cotton tea towel. It’s only going to rise once, unlike lots of breads, and only for half an hour. And honestly I feel like thin crust is the way to live your life. So if it doesn’t rise to the sky that’s fine. But if you want it really thick and poofy, then make sure your dough is kept warm somehow. I always use an oven proof glass bowl just in case I feel the need to slip it into a barely warm oven (less than 200*).

The Fun Part! and extra notes:

  1. Okay, now the dough becomes a crust! I’ve given you the proportions for a double recipe, which is actually four good sized pizzas. So tear it apart once, then again, so you have four similar hunks of smooth, springy dough.
  2. Each one can be handed to its potential toppings artist for hand-tossing, rolling, or just pressing onto a pizza stone or greased cookie sheet. Instruct each other to speak with bad Italian accents as you work.
  3. By the way, for a really cool restaurant effect, use a drizzling of olive oil and a sprinkling of corn meal on your pan.
  4. If you’ve made more dough than you need, just pop it into a freezer bag and seal well for the next pizza party.
  5. For thin crusts, make sure to roll or toss it even thinner than you think you should, then pre-bake at about 400* for less than 10 minutes. It won’t come out crisp yet, but after you top it and bake it again? Perfect.
  6. For thick crusts, don’t handle it much more. Just shape it and let it rise once more on the stone or cookie sheet.
  7. Either way, once you’re ready, top it all to your heart’s content with everything that pleases your pizza-loving soul.
  8. For book club recently, I rolled some dough extra thin, topped it with marinara, cheese, and pepperoni, rolled it up, brushed the outside with egg wash and added Parmesan, then sliced it crosswise like you would cinnamon rolls. Cook slices on their sides for really yummy pizza roll ups!
  9. Okay, traditional pizzas just go in a hot oven until cheese is melted. Thin crusts only take about 10 minutes at maybe 425*, thick crusts take up to 20 minutes at 375*.

pizza

Friends, I’m telling you, there are two ginormous slices of leftover homemade pizza in my refrigerator right now. I’m not hungry. Not at all. But after talking to you about this I am giving serious consideration to eating that stuff cold.

Cold pizza, family, and friends who love books. Life is good.

“You better cut the pizza in four pieces
 because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.”
~Yogi Berra
XOXOXOXO

what I learned in november

Hi friends! Welcome to Tuesday. For the first time ever I am linking up with Emily over at Chatting With the Sky. She is the sweet, smart author of A Million Little Ways which I devoured recently and have been pushing on my friends the same way I push food onto my daughter when she visits the farm. (Translation: So much and with gobs of effusiveness!)

Once a month Emily hosts a cool link up for people to share what they’ve been learning. Anything at all. Fun, right?  I know! So here’s my contribution for November:

 

what i learned in november

 

Baby llamas can flat-foot jump four-foot high fences. And it’s awesome. Meh, about five months old now, recently displayed a new talent. In order to reach Handsome on the other side of a four-foot predator fence, with no running start whatsoever, he just sprang vertically into the air and landed with aplomb on the earth not two feet away. Probably for a cookie. We were duly impressed. And now we have to keep the front gate shut at all times.

"Meh." xoxoxo
“Meh.” xoxoxo

Crocheting scarves is a great way to pass some time while watching Dexter with Handsome. I’m getting pretty good less terrible at a single-double chain stitch. Very relaxing and somewhat productive.

Hens are vain creatures. We accidentally left the front door open a few days ago and turned around to see Red Nekkid Neck hen and this gorgeous black hen exploring the living room. Just, you know, pooping on the wood floors. No biggie. The nameless black hen was perched on my favorite green chair, staring with deep and fascinated longing at herself. Do you have name suggestions for such a vain creature?

aww you sexy thang!
Aww, you sexy thang!

Mixing both sides of our family at a tenuous, change-filled season for everyone was at once genius and insane. We hosted our two nuclear groups at the farm for Thanksgiving this year, and we made a thousand memories and had a great time, truly. But I learned that spreading myself too thinly among people who have to make a great effort to blend with each other, well, it kind of leaves everyone feeling awkward. It is wonderful too, don’t get me wrong! But it was a learning experience. If someone ever asks my advice on this issue, I would say that overextending yourself in grief-stricken times, with limited hours available to spend with your loved ones, can leave everyone feeling a bit shortchanged. Sometimes it’s better to really water your families’ roots deeply. One at a time.

Listening trumps talking. And believing the best in people and in uncertain situations makes a difference. You know, faith is a force to be reckoned with. This past month I have literally fallen asleep giving thanks so many times. And my waking hours have been blissfully free of worry. It’s the most amazing transformation ever. I am learning the fruition part of the power of imagination, the potential of faithful prayers. How are you doing with this?

Adult footie pajamas are the bomb-dot-com. Have you seen them in retail land yet? Super cute. And even moreso soft and comfy. I can’t even tell you how fast you should go out and buy some for immediate cuddling, pretend flying through the air, and extended air-ninja-battles with errant poultry. We recently rearranged the living room, allowing for a long, wide path in the wood floor. Wearing my cool footie pj’s I can slide right down that slick alleyway like Tom Cruise in Risky Business. Not much less awesome that a jumping llama.

supergirl footie onesie pajamas

And it’s December! I am two days deep in decorating, organizing, fitness, reading great books, and generally loving life. Now I’m off to see what the other guests at Emily’s link up have learned. Thanks so much for stopping by! What are you learning?

“I am learning all the time.
The tombstone will be my diploma.”
~Eartha Kitt
XOXOXO

 

post-feast fitness reset

Okay. It’s the Monday after Thanksgiving, the dawn on a new day after nearly a week of relaxed standards. The first full day after several days and nights of eating pretty much anything I wanted, napping a lot, and not running or doing strength exercises at all.

This is not the way my fitness role models suggested we do it exactly, but it happened. And the thing is, I loved every minute. Sometime during the really fun process of planning our big family feast, I made the conscious decision to not only allow myself some indulgences; I would deeply and thoroughly enjoy it. I affirmed in my own heart the intrinsic value of traditional foods, soul-nurturing traditions, and shared meals. Extended cuddling sessions. Empty agendas. What good is “cheating” on yourself? You’re much better off accepting that you’re trading one pleasure (fitness) for another (conviviality*). We can take either pursuit to dangerous extremes, after all.

(*These are just my opinions. My emotional philosophies.)

So I’m not writing this today with any apologies for falling off my miles plan or my calorie restriction ideal. Not at all. Until late Saturday afternoon I had been feeling pretty amazing physically, and that brief sluggishness was easily corrected with a gallon of water, a couple of plain salads with a little meat on them, and some grateful, sweaty time on the elliptical.

Nope, no regrets. I loved feeling free to stay up late with my daughter talking about life and eating an un-rationed amount of Pink Stuff. I loved sitting and relaxing and crocheting hats with my sister- in-law while eating pecan pie with a cloud of whipped cream and perfect coffee. I ate turkey and homemade stuffing until I gobbled instead of giggled. The food was a big, wonderful part of the week for me, and so was the time with my people instead away from them. Handsome was off work for four days in a row, and choosing to not lace up and disappear for an hour or two was smart. It was good for both of us this year.

Buuuuuuuut………….

There’s always a big but, right? Especially after several days like this?

Sorry. Let’s try that again:

All that said, as emotionally refreshing as this break truly has been, I am just as ready for a thorough reset. My body craves activity, raw vegetables, and waaaaaay less sugar (all kinds of sugar). My mind craves the satisfaction of having treated myself well. And whether he will admit this or not, my husband is ready for my to siphon off some nervous energy and show up for our time together exhilarated, rested, slender feeling, and energized. All of that together. That’s what running, mild weights, and healthy eating does for me, so it also does that for us.

kale salad with pomegranate
Torn up raw kale with lemon, a drizzle of olive oil, and a whole bunch of pomegranate seeds. One of the simplest, most gorgeous salads you’ll ever scoop into your gravy-weary mouth!

 

So on this first day of December, as we move away from a magical and delicious Thanksgiving, as we tiptoe into wintertime and all of those related temptations and implications, I am making this new temporary pact with myself:

lazyw wintertime fitness plan

Simple enough, right? Just daily habits that are sustainable, flexible, and completely geared toward living fully and feeling amazing. That’s what I want. To have a full life and feel great day to day. If along this path my jeans size diminished a bit, then so be it. If not, I’m happy with that too.

How are you feeling physically, post feast? Do you deal with guilt after indulging, or are you at peace? What was you favorite amazing food this past week? How do you plan to care for yourself this winter? Tell me everything!

Take care of your body.
It’s the only place you have to live.
~Jim Rohn
XOXOXOXO

 

 

 

thanksgiving grocery prep

It was Tuesday around 4 pm. My original plan was to drive straight home from garden class and get started on some housework then maybe go for a run before nightfall. But Handsome called me and made the very wise suggestion that I buy our Thanksgiving feast supplies now, if possible, because of some chatter he’d heard on the radio. Something about “record-setting shoppers” and “everyone in the civilized world is off work on Wednesday.” Crazy, slightly intimidating stuff. Even my idea of grocery shopping in the wee hours Wednesday morning might have been not quite enough to avoid the chaos.

Well. By chance I had my list with me, a three page list to be exact, a yellow legal pad filled with recipes and seating charts and what to buy from which store and in what department. I was wearing my super duper comfy plaid sneakers. And I had a fully charged cell phone. Ready for elbowing my way through at least half of my impressive list. Expecting stress.

I’m a list writer.

And a little bit of a worrier, despite my best efforts.

And I’m easily impressed.

On to my favorite grocery store in nearby Midwest City!

Friends, I want to tell you that after one deep breath and a forced smile, I was in for a wonderful surprise! Last night’s hunt (hunting is exactly what it is, am I right?) was a total pleasure. From beginning to end, I actually had a good time. Everyone there was happy, smiling broadly at each other and practicing Grandma-worthy manners. No children (and there were lots of children around) were screaming. Every aisle was sardine-packed with people and their heavy carts, but instead of competing with each other, we all were helping each other locate and reach needed items. I hope to never forget this particular woman who was searching for flaked coconut in the baking aisle. She was met with at least four happy, anonymous neighbors helping her get exactly the bag she wanted, without having to maneuver her cart. I watched the bag of coconut pass hand to hand like a passenger in a confectioner’s mosh pit until it reached its grateful cook. And everyone cheered when the mission was accomplished! Hilarious.

I got a dose of instant Christmas spirit last night, just shopping for Thanksgiving! It didn’t hurt that the store was piping in gentle, low volume Christmas carols. I sang out loud and danced a little while exploring the aisles.

 

lazyw Thanksgiving groceries
I snapped this photo about halfway through my market expedition.

 

My Mom and I chatted on the phone throughout the magical shopping trip, reviewing family recipes and letting the excitement for Thursday build between us. I found everything on my list. The butcher knows me and helped me find steals. The produce guy is about the nicest man ever and made sure I got the biggest fans of kale and prettiest oranges, as always. Butterball turkeys were half off! My cashier was the funniest girl in the world who is always trying to get me to try this particular Mexican orange soda (it’s possible her sweet disposition caused me to save $20 or $30). And when I finally wheeled our massive bounty from the sliding electric doors to my waiting Jeep, I caught a glimpse of the sunset, streaked red and purple, gold and silver. The crescent moon hung seductively between some wispy clouds, and I couldn’t wait to get home to my guy. On Twitter late in the evening I noticed that my sweet friend Rose had been admiring the moon too. It really was captivating.

 

A previously clean and clear, delicately dressed buffet table in our dining room is now loaded to the max with gorgeous raw materials for cooking. We are so blessed.
A previously clean and clear, delicately dressed buffet table in our dining room is now loaded to the max with gorgeous raw materials for cooking. We are so blessed. Blessed beyond reason.

 

So what is on the Lazy W menu?

Strong coffee, bacon, and cinnamon rolls for breakfast, for those who come early while the feast is being prepared. Then turkey (times two). Ham. At least two different stuffing recipes. Egg noodles from scratch. Julia Child’s garlic-mashed potatoes. Canned cranberry jelly (Handsome’s favorite) as well as raw citrus-cranberry relish. Marshmallow-roasted sweet potatoes. Scalloped sweet potatoes by Katie. Piles and piles of homemade rolls. Kale-pomegranate salad with olive oil and sea salt. Green bean casserole. Pumpkin pie. Pecan pie. Chocolate fudge cake. Lemon Ice Box Pie. Pink Stuff. And much more. We are planning a feast for the eyes and the belly. A great binding for a farm-full of people.

 

It is frozen rock solid as of Tuesday at 8 pm. Will it thaw in time?
It was frozen rock solid as of Tuesday at 8 pm. Will it thaw in time?

 

Today, the prep day, is going to be so much fun! I am incredibly grateful for the freedom to stay home and do this. To enjoy this process and fill every room in our home with love and decorations and yummy calories. I am unreasonably excited to brine this ample bird. To spend all of Wednesday loving this turkey. Flavoring it with dried sage from our own little herb garden. Adorning its white platter given to me by my Dad years ago. Giving thanks for its fatness. Etcetera. (Update: as of 8 am on Wednesday, it is softening in a sink of cold water. Thanks Melissa!)

 

I am loving the freedom to dress and decorate every table any way I want to! Different fabrics, fresh fruits, candles, and more. So fun.
In addition to food adventures, I am loving the freedom to dress and decorate every table any way I want to! Different fabrics, fresh fruits, candles,poetry maybe, and more. So fun. The celebration of a holiday in our home fills my heart to the brim!

 

I am bursting with gratitude for sure.

So “Happy Thanksgiving Grocery Wednesday,” friends! I hope that if you are out in the retail world today, your expedition is as charmed as mine was last night. If you are home rolling out pie crusts and brining poultry, ironing cloth napkins and searching for extra chairs, I hope you enjoy every minute. I hope you enjoy it all so thoroughly that you never furrow your brow. That you smile widely and giggle a lot. I hope you play music and wear your favorite necklace and get a surprise note or phone call from someone who makes your heart leap.

I hope you forget to count calories, because you are so busy counting blessings.

Now? I better sign off. Lots to do before the big event tomorrow. Lots to enjoy in every way.

To be sensual, he wrote, is to respect and rejoice 
in the force of life itself,
and to be present in all that one does,
from the effort of loving to the breaking of bread.
~Judith Newton
Tasting Home, Coming of Age in the Kitchen*
XOXOXOXO

 

*book review coming soon!